Common Causes for Asymmetrical Eyelids and Their Treatment

Posted by Cassandra Elrod, Beauty Contributor on Apr 11th 2019

No two eyes are ever exactly the same, but sometimes we can experience asymmetry in a way that feels distracting or imposes on our everyday function. Most of the time, uneven eyelids are a cosmetic concern rather than a medical problem. However, some serious medical conditions can cause eyelids to appear more uneven. Asymmetry can be caused by a number of things beyond genetics such as a motor vehicle accident, the presence of Bell's Palsy, or stroke; all of which can create asymmetry that may even impact your vision. Another dramatic asymmetry of the eyelids can also be caused by ptosis of the eyelid, a condition where the eyelid loses muscle strength and cannot keep the eyelid up properly. Although these events or conditions are out of our control, there are still things we can still do to help restore our confidence and eye function.

The Surgical Option

Cosmetic surgery to correct uneven eyelids is called blepharoplasty. During the procedure excess skin, fat, and muscle is removed from your eyelids. The surgery can involve the upper and lower eyelids and entails making an incision along the crease of your upper lid or in the crease just below your lower lash line. Bruising and swelling generally improves in 10 to 14 days. Scars from the incisions can take several months to fade.

The cost of cosmetic eyelid surgery varies depending on where the procedure is performed and the experience of the surgeon. The average cost of the surgery, according to a 2017 report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, is $3,026, not including anesthesia, hospital facilities costs, and other related expenses.Most health insurance plans do not cover cosmetic procedures, though surgery to remove excess skin that covers the eyelashes may be covered. Check with your health insurance provider.

The Non-Invasive Option

With LIDS BY DESIGN, you can non-surgically adjust asymmetry of the eyelids in a couple of different ways. First, you can place a correcting strip on the eyelid that appears to need more lifting and bring it up to match the natural lift of the other. This usually requires a smaller size strip but this may vary depending on the severity of the asymmetry. I the case of ptosis, you would actually add a larger size to the eye not experiencing ptosis, so as to bring the eyelid level with the other.

Another way to correct asymmetry and provide an overall lift to the eyelids is to correct both, using two different sizes that reflect the lift each eyelid needs. This can be acheived most easily with our Discovery Kit, which contains every size and allows you to use different sizes on each eye.

Uneven or asymmetrical eyes are more common than many people realize. Some people try makeup tricks, hair-styling techniques and even editing their photographs to try and hide it, but now with LIDS BY DESIGN there is a more instant and reliable solution when it comes to correcting asymmetry.